Data logging and controlling STM devices via computer

prathmesh · ‎2024-09-23

Hello Everyone,

I'm about to start a new project where I have some products built on STM32.

Now I wanted to connect those devices to the microsoft widows based computer and build a windows software to control the devices and get the stored data from devices (data is stored in SD card in text format).

But I'm not sure about how to start this like which protocol should i use (I considerd RS-485 or LAN), and platform or lanuage to build a computer software.

Please give me suggestion on this if anyone has worked on such projects.

Thank you in advance.

Andrew Neil · ‎2024-09-23

@prathmesh wrote:
the computer .

What computer?

The interfaces available on "the computer" will be a key constraint in defining what connections are appropriate!

@prathmesh wrote:
data is stored in SD card

So the simplest way could be to simply remove the SD Card from the STM32, insert it into "the computer", and just read it.

There are many options:

USB
- Virtual serial
- MSC
- other
Serial (RS232, RS485, etc)
Ethernet
Wireless
etc, etc, ...

@prathmesh wrote:
platform or language to build a computer software.

Use whatever language you prefer that's available on "the computer".

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.
A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.

prathmesh · ‎2024-09-23

Hello Andrew,

There are multiple devices connected on the same computer and i wanted to control and also read the data stored in SD card (every device has an SD card).

@Andrew Neil Use whatever language you prefer that's available on "the computer".

Yes but I'm asking for which platform will be more suitable for this type of application.

Andrew Neil · ‎2024-09-23

@prathmesh wrote:
Yes but I'm asking for which platform will be more suitable for this type of application.

You mean you've not yet decided on what "the computer" is?

That will very much depend on what you need to do with the data once you've retrieved it from all your multiple STM32s.

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.
A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.

prathmesh · ‎2024-09-23

Right now I wanted to develope Windows based application for this.

Andrew Neil · ‎2024-09-23

So your platform is Windows, then.

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.
A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.

prathmesh · ‎2024-09-23

Yes

Andrew Neil · ‎2024-09-23

So what is your question here, then?

@prathmesh wrote:
@Andrew Neil Use whatever language you prefer that's available on "the computer".
Yes but I'm asking for which platform will be more suitable for this type of application.

There can't be very many languages that don't have Windows support ...

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.
A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.

Techn · ‎2024-09-23

Probably Python will be the easiest language to implement this functionality on windows. you can use rs485, I2C or CAN , since there are multiple stm32 devices on the bus, otherwise you can use rs232. If you have large amount of data to be read, then eth is better to be used. you have to decide on the protocol like a question and answer to the selected slave.

Hope this helps

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prathmesh · ‎2024-09-23

Thank you Techn.